Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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09PESHAWAR23 | 2009-02-09 09:01:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Consulate Peshawar |
VZCZCXRO6061 OO RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHPW #0023/01 0400901 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 090901Z FEB 09 FM AMCONSUL PESHAWAR TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7826 INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 1390 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 1024 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 0786 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE IMMEDIATE 1748 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI IMMEDIATE 1755 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/FBI WASHINGTON DC RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUMICEA/USSOCOM INTEL OPS CEN MACDILL AFB FL RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 4884 |
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PESHAWAR 000023 |
1. (U) Ambassador and Peshawar Principal Officer met with Inspector General Frontier Corps Tariq Khan during a January 26 visit to the Warsak Training Center to formally hand over the latest U.S. assistance of security and communications equipment valued at one and a half million dollars. 2. (C) Khan asserted that the best approach for addressing the hold strategy is to have enough trained and equipped police forces visible to the populace with the Frontier Corps behind them. The town of Warsak is coming back to life stemming from the security that Khan's forces are providing in the area. Warsak training center construction is making progress with 99% of the 20 classrooms completed. Khan was critical of unnamed Members of National Assembly from the tribal areas. He added that "much of the problem in South Waziristan would go away when Baitullah (Mehsud) was taken out." Khan spent a significant portion of his brief on the use and needs of the police, who are not part of his force, demonstrating both the degree of urgency of the police issue and the evolution of Frontier Corps' hold strategy. End Summary. Donation of Equipment to Frontier Corps -------------------------- 3. (C) During a January 26 visit to the Warsak Training Center, the Ambassador formally handed over the latest U.S. assistance of vehicles, protective vests, helmets, radios and other equipment to Frontier Corps, valued at one and a half million dollars. Khan thanked the Ambassador for the equipment and said it would be put to immediate use by his forces. Deputy Chief of the Office of the Defense Representative Pakistan BG Joe DiBartolomeo, Narcotics Affairs Senior Advisor Bob Traister, and Peshawar Pol/Econ Chief (notetaker) also participated in the visit. Security Challenges And Use Of The Police -------------------------- 4. (C) Khan asserted that best approach for addressing the hold strategy is to have enough trained and equipped police forces visible to the populace with the FC behind them. Khan said one problem was that many of the mid-level police officials were selected based on politics and not on their leadership abilities. Their political affiliations, he explained, often prevented them from being effective. He suggested a change in some of these personnel, additional leadership training for others, and support for the equipment, salary and manpower needs of the police. Khan said he had not yet devised a plan on how to establish a strong mid-level command/coordination link between Frontier Corps and the tribal area paramilitaries, the levies and khassadars, who report to the Political Agent. Warsak Construction Making Great Progress -------------------------- 5. (C) Khan said that the Warsak training center construction is making progress with 99% of the 20 classrooms completed. Security-related construction had also made significant progress with 30% of the planned camp upgrades finished. During a site overview brief, Khan explained that 10 security bunkers and six additional posts would be built adding to the seven posts on the surrounding hills of the camp. He was confident that additional fencing, patrolling, and posts on the surrounding hills would eliminate the current threat of mortar attacks by the militants on Warsak. Security Improving In The Town Of Warsak -------------------------- 6. (C) In addition to the physical security upgrades to the two by five kilometer camp, Khan said that the town of Warsak is coming back to life as a result of the security that his forces were providing in the area. He added that a cadet college available to the local tribal children would be built this year and would begin instruction with grade eight. PESHAWAR 00000023 002 OF 002 IGFC Critical Of Members Of The National Assembly -------------------------- -------------------------- 7. (C) Khan was critical of unnamed Members of the National Assembly (MNA) from the tribal areas. He said that one MNA he knew had not been to his area for 18 months and others visit rarely. He explained that a MNA's purpose was to legislate, but MNAs are prohibited by the constitution from passing legislation concerning the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA). He said this leads the MNAs for FATA to concentrate on development projects as either an opportunity for corruption or to build support in their district. Baitullah Mehsud: How Did He Become So Strong? -------------------------- - 8. (C) Responding to Ambassador's query as to how Baitullah became so strong, Khan said the militants like to pick a "nobody" like Baitullah, who had been a Physical Education teacher. Khan explained that when a "nobody" is given money, cell phones, and some gunmen, then he becomes "important" but is outside of and not beholden to the traditional tribal elder structure as a power base. Accordingly, actors like Baitullah are free to "knock out" stability in the area and become stronger as they undermine local authority. Khan maintained that "much of the problem in South Waziristan would go away when Baitullah was taken out." Usefulness of Recent Training -------------------------- 9. (C) Khan asserted that the primary benefit of the training conducted between U.S. Special Forces trainers and Frontier Corps to date was the "interaction between the two forces." He said that he knew that valuable training lay ahead, but he was pleased with the training's results. Comment -------------------------- 10. (C) Khan's point that law enforcement forces (police in NWFP and levies and khassadars in FATA) must be able to take a leading role is well taken. One of the most visible signs of the writ of the government, or lack thereof, is the degree of effective police presence. The fact that Khan would spend a significant portion of his brief on the use and needs of the law enforcement units, which are not part of his force, demonstrates both the degree of urgency of the issue and the evolution of the Frontier Corps' hold strategy. TRACY |